Recording artists Melanie Blatt, Stan Walker, Ruby Frost and Daniel Bedingfield were the show's four judges.
Auckland student Georgie Wright was selected from over 100 applicants to present the show's behind-the-scenes video blog Samsung Insider.
The X Factor was created by Simon Cowell in the United Kingdom and the New Zealand version is based on the original British series.
[8] Broadcast funding agency NZ On Air confirmed they would contribute $1.6 million as a minority investor, for the production of 30 episodes of 60 minutes duration each.
[18][19] The auditionees chosen by the producers were invited back to the last set of auditions that took place in front of the judges and a live studio audience.
[25] From there, singers Geordie Meade, Meghan Fraser and Grace Ikenasio were chosen by the judges to continue to the X Factor bootcamp round.
Acts in each category were given one song to sing: "Come On Home" (Boys), "Firework" (Girls), "Iris" (Over 25s) and "Man in the Mirror" (Groups).
[30][31] Rejected soloists Sam Yeoward and Cameron Rota from the Boys category and former 3rd Watch member Peniamina Sofai were brought back by judges and asked to form a group.
[32] The elimination of popular contestant Jackie Thomas, who had performed poorly at bootcamp, stirred debate amongst viewers.
[33] A Facebook group was formed urging the show to bring her back, while Birdy's 2011 recording of Jackie's audition song "Skinny Love" entered the New Zealand charts, peaking at number 2.
The 25 successful acts were:[36] The judges retreats episodes were filmed over the month of April in locations in New Zealand, the Cook Islands and Australia.
Daniel Bedingfield also brought previously eliminated contestant Jackie Thomas back to the Girls category.
Bedingfield mentored the Girls in Rarotonga, assisted by his sister Natasha Bedingfield; Blatt joined the Groups at Mahurangi with S Club 7 member Rachel Stevens; Frost took the Boys to Sydney, assisted by former Australian X Factor judge Guy Sebastian; and Walker had the Over 25s in Queenstown with New Zealand singer Hollie Smith.